Matthew, Would You Like Some Mittens?
After years of carting Matthew to special ed classrooms all over the district, this year he is in our home school. The one just up the hill and right around the corner. So finally, after all those miles, we can walk to school. I suppose that happened now because in the greater scheme of things, he's finally reached the point in his development where he can walk to school, safely and without a tantrum. Not something I would have said when he started school a few years ago, but in the last 12 months he's grown so much, and has settled more into our world, that it isn't as much the struggle to go places as it used to be.
Now that October is waning and winter is coming, the weather has a real nip in the air when we make our trek each morning. And the other day, as we both chugged our way up the hill to school, he slipped his small hand into mine and gave it a squeeze and, small miracle, held on. Let me explain, most autistic children don't hold hands, don't like to be touched, but here was Matthew, clinging to my fingers and smiling up at me.
So Mommy the knitter said, "Matthew, are your fingers cold?"
"Yes."
"Would you like a pair of mittens?"
"Yes."
"What color?"
"Red."
That, folks, is a conversation, another little miracle that wouldn't have happened a year ago. So when we got home that afternoon, we picked out a mittens pattern (Later Gator Mitts on Ravelry and from Stitch 'n Bitch Nation
), agreed they could be both red and green, and I knit them up. Along with a scarf he also requested. Of course, I know the whole time I am knitting these things, he will never wear them. But he was happy that I was knitting them for him, and I'm just happy to be able to walk to school and have a little conversation every once in a while.
BTW, this is big brother modeling, because of course, Matthew won't wear mittens. But he has a pair now, just in case he's in the mood for another little miracle.
Now that October is waning and winter is coming, the weather has a real nip in the air when we make our trek each morning. And the other day, as we both chugged our way up the hill to school, he slipped his small hand into mine and gave it a squeeze and, small miracle, held on. Let me explain, most autistic children don't hold hands, don't like to be touched, but here was Matthew, clinging to my fingers and smiling up at me.
So Mommy the knitter said, "Matthew, are your fingers cold?"
"Yes."
"Would you like a pair of mittens?"
"Yes."
"What color?"
"Red."
That, folks, is a conversation, another little miracle that wouldn't have happened a year ago. So when we got home that afternoon, we picked out a mittens pattern (Later Gator Mitts on Ravelry and from Stitch 'n Bitch Nation), agreed they could be both red and green, and I knit them up. Along with a scarf he also requested. Of course, I know the whole time I am knitting these things, he will never wear them. But he was happy that I was knitting them for him, and I'm just happy to be able to walk to school and have a little conversation every once in a while.
BTW, this is big brother modeling, because of course, Matthew won't wear mittens. But he has a pair now, just in case he's in the mood for another little miracle.
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